Murder mysteries by Indian authors make up comfortable and satisfactory read. The genre in the Indian literature arena is yet to see glorious days. The issue with Indian authors is that fail to deliver a complete thriller. If the beginning is impeccable, midway the plot loses its tight vigil and let readers know the predictability and there are many novels where everything looks gripping and well-placed but the endings look so awkward, illogical and predictable.

The Blue Jinx is Nisha’s debut crime fiction, a story that rolls between undemanding romance and watery murder mystery. The novel was published in 2015, can be considered the author wasn’t familiar with the genre’s intriguing strict framework. Learning the ways and tricks, when she published The Unexpected Trail in 2022, it proved to be a better than this, and was received confidently by readers.

The title “The Blue Jinx” is objective. It’s neither ostentatious nor showy. The word jinx bundles superstition, luck factor, and astrology into one. But how the story rolls on the carpet of these aspects is something impressive about the novella.

No doubt the story of the novel is a good until you figure out the killer. The written part to intrigue the readers with supernatural and horror elements at the beginning has been taken care of pretty well. The story also gets interesting midway, as when the lead guys Nikhil and Samara turn obstinate to get to the bottom of the murder puzzle. However, climax and a few more events beyond that are not so impressive. You can guess the climax very easily and also it’s told even before you reach the end. You expect something to unexpectedly change in the end but it doesn’t. Thriller should have an unexpected turn of events. Like “Silent Patient” which has a climax that nobody can ever guess.

Instead of plunging into pitfalls, let’s see the hidden aspects of the book. It’s gemstone murder mystery. From Mumbai Nikhil comes to Nasik to redecorate his client Hemant’s home. The home needs to relive the feelings of his dead wife Shanipriya. However, Nikhil is told at the beginning by the gardener that the dead woman’s ghost haunts the house. Nikhil sleeps in her room and he gets all that ghostly and spooky experience as one finds in movies or folktales. After the murder case of Shanipriya is solved, the author discloses the facts pertaining to blue gem. If it doesn’t suit to anyone, it brings bad luck and nightmare. So, it was true for Nikhil. But it overshadows the horror and the spooky feel of the story. To extent the blue jinx the author stretches the story and its holders die in accidents tragically. Along with romance, murder mystery, the book tries to throw light on superstitions related to blue gemstones. It’s daunting to set up such a connection in the murder mystery. Since it being an Indian story, the experiment worked, such concepts in India are accepted.

Our Views on the Cover Page:

The cover page is simple, showing story of three people: two women and one man. However, you could grasp the meaning of the cover page only after reading the book completely. Those who judge a book by its cover may get into a complicated work of guesswork. It could have been better. Still murder mysteries have subtle covers for an aura of enigma.

Our Views on the Characters:

Samara is the daughter of Hemant. Nikhil a home decoration consultant from Mumbai, he is portrayed as a typical struggler due to choice of his career. The novella lacked a strong detective/cop character. Nisha kept the game easy as Nikhil and Samar solve it by themselves, more or less they were bound by love. The book has a fewer characters, the suspects were limited, the family drama was high but overall many of the characters didn’t show their true shades as it happens in crime/murder mysteries. Overall, the list of characters is okayish.

Final Note:

The story is moderate with a likeable plot that moves but moves efficiently fast. Narration is simple, engaging – early readers of murder thrillers will like the novella. Plot description and suspense opening in steps is really excellent.